[Ahmad]

MarkivJ,

The United Arab Emirates does not have an established system for naturalisation even after decades of residence. Barring the few exceptions of foreign women who have married locals (with prior government permission), it would be nigh impossible for a foreign woman to become an “Emarati”. A term exclusively used there to refer to citizens as opposed to residents. Hope this puts those news items in context. Mind you, UAE citizens are generally far more liberal than Qataris and I have yet to come across news of a Qatari woman becoming an FA on QR.

On the topic of the thread, I agree with LuganoPirate and add that hospitality in the whole region’s homes is much better than onboard QR. So, to a certain extent, QR does reflect Qatari hospitality.

[TerryBuchanan]

It’s strange that “foreign” women are the face of the Middle East Airlines, but that the thinking behind this is that Emirati women are too sacred to be cabin crew but that foreign women are,for want of a better word, a bit more flexible and confident ? Plus serving alcohol would not fit with a practising Muslim woman’s faith.

[superchris]

I doubt if a Qatari family kept you waiting for an hour, they would expect you to write in to their complaints department to find out what the issue is, rather than just telling you on the spot.

I also doubt a Qatari family would just leave your luggage strewn in the middle of a baggage hall and wonder what the issue was.

Im sure their chairs in their house would have more than a millimetres cushioning on it and they breakfast wouldn’t consist of congealed eggs.

Perhaps Im wrong though…

[TerryBuchanan]

superchris, I guess unless Emiriatization takes place and sharp, these ME airlines will simply have a face that is shown to the world and another for reality…

[Ahmad]

TerryBuchanan,

Just a point of clarification which I had to make in another thread too, Qatar is not a part of the Untied Arab Emirates. Although I appreciate that you are using the term Emiriatization to mean induction of nationals throughout the region, the distinction is important for the questions I have for you. Are you aware of the population of Qatar and the number of Qatari citizens living worldwide, not just on their peninsula? If you are aware of their number, in view of QR’s expansion, what percentage of them do you reckon would be required to become cabin crew if it were restricted to just citizens?

[LondonQatarflier]

Interesting thread……Having lived/worked in Qatar for past 4yrs and flown many flights with QA, I can honestly say the service offered on QA does not reflect the country. 1) All expats recruited to work for QA and are highly trained but also restricted. 2) QA crew are intimidated into upholding the strict standards QA set. 3) Crew are powerless to make any decisions on-board, and have to seek manager approval. 4) Service offered in and around Qatar is no where near service offered on board due to the strict rules and high level of training. 5) However, QA customer service is non-existent.

My perception over the past 4yrs 1) Qatari women will never work as cabin crew – as Muslim they cannot touch alcohol. Plus i’m sure many believe the job to be beneath them. 2) The position involves working more then 6hrs – not going to happen.

I can confirm QA crew are treated like teenage school children. Bearing in mind these same people are trusted to operate a flight and are responsible for 300+ passengers – from first aid, life safety procedures and passing aviation tests to gain aviation licenses. QA monitor their lives – from random room checks, recording the time they leave/enter their apt, no mobile phone use allowed to/from the airport (whilst in QA transportation), grooming check (weight, uniform etc), they are restricted to taking government taxi, restricted on getting married, no maternity leave and the list goes on. I cannot count the number of friends I have had that have been fired for no serious offence and in another other company would have been a written warning at the very worst.

What would be interesting is QA’s staff retention/turnover figures. I’m sure it has to be the highest in the world.

[LuganoPirate]

I’m always amazed by people who go to live/work in a region, make, presumably, good money while taking advantage of all that is offered, then come back and criticise the place. I thinks it’s a bit hypocritical. If I found something to be worthy of such criticism I’d either leave or in this case use another airline.

If those are the rules of the airlines, then those are the rules. I’m sure BA also has rules regarding behaviour, looks etc which some may find wrong, but that’s life. Besides, no one is forced to work for QR, if you don’t like it you can always leave.

In the same way no one is forced to fly them, but for a saving of a few hundred pounds are we willing to look the other way?

[esselle]

LP

As ever, your posts are the voice of reason.

I agree entirely with your viewpoint on this, and my only comment to LondonQatar is “so what?”.

[SimonS1]

A lot of the perceived ‘luxury’ is only skin deep anyway.

You only have to look at the shambolic saga that has surrounded the opening of new Doha airport to see that.

[IstanbulWarrior]

Whilst I have yet to come across a Qatari FA on Qatar Airways, I have met more than a handful of female Qatari flight engineers, who work for both Qatar Airways and the Emiri Flight.

[canucklad]

The one danger here, is that we all forget that most of us have been brought up and raised in (especially in my case) countries that have liberal values.

Because of that I occasionally find myself feeling less than comfortable in situations were tolerance isn’t the norm. In my case that’s happened in Belfast, a pub in Newcastle were women had their own snug, as well as the openly racist behaviour of immigration officials at Dubai. I’ve learnt that it’s best to tolerate intolerance when your in an environment that plays by different rules.

And don’t get me wrong if I witness nonsense behaviour in my own environment I challenge it. It’s for the people who live in these perceived repressive ,some would say,including me backward environments to empower themselves to change. It’s taken the UK along time to mature into a tolerant society,but we did it by ourselves.

EDIT…I’ll add that I’m sure that although all airlines probably try and emulate their countries hospitality , the real thing delivered by local people is always going to be warmer, friendlier and more genuinely sincere.

[SimonS1]

To be honest Canucklad I think it’s all a red herring. I could count on one hand the times in the last 25 years where the service I have received from an airline has been genuinely sincere.

We are talking here about people who are given corporate training and often paid modest wages. No disrespect to those involved who often do their best but to compare it to traditional hospitality is I think expecting a bit much.

[LuganoPirate]

Thanks Esselle. I appreciate your post.

[MarkivJ]

I don’t buy the “they won’t hire local female FAs as Muslim women have to serve alcohol which goes against their religion” line. Because if that’s the case, then why do they hire Muslim women from Ethiopia, Pakistan, India (amongst other countries)? The reason one doesn’t see much local female FAs (either they don’t apply, or aren’t entertained to/encouraged) is because they generally think FA’ing is below their dignity but wouldn’t want to openly say so on the record, so do the customary “hiring” enough to convince people that this is a “myth”.

[SimonS1]

To hire people you need people to apply. As mentioned elsewhere in the thread, culturally it isn’t the norm in many of the ME cultures for female locals to work in these types of role. You can debate why that is however that is the reality of it.

That of course is completely different to saying that “none of the local women are allowed to apply for FA jobs” which is not true.

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